Iceland has two personalities, and they barely speak to each other. In winter it is dark, snowy and, on a good night, lit up by the Northern Lights. In summer the sun hardly sets in June and July, the long walking trips run and the expedition ships come out. Pick the season first and most other decisions make themselves: the tour, the pace and how many jumpers to pack.
This guide is for anyone choosing an escorted tour of Iceland. We compare every tour on our Iceland tours page, from a five-day aurora break to a 14-day expedition to Greenland, with the price, pace, group size and the honest drawback of each.
The quick answer
- If you want the Northern Lights on a short break, pick Iceland Northern Lights Escape (6 days) or Iceland’s Classic Northern Lights (5 days).
- If you want the whole island in winter, pick Iceland Winter Adventure: Super Jeeps & Northern Lights.
- If you want the midnight sun at a gentle pace, pick Iceland: Land of the Midnight Sun.
- If you want to walk properly, pick Trekking Iceland’s Laugavegur Trail.
- If you are travelling alone and want flights arranged, pick Iceland for Solo Travellers.
Every Iceland tour compared
| Tour | Days | Price from | Physical rating | Group size | Flights included | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter and the Northern Lights | ||||||
| Iceland Northern Lights Escape: Vatnajökull & the South Coast – 6 Days | 6 | £1,373 pp | Medium | Max 12 | No | Aurora hunting plus a glacier hike |
| Iceland’s Classic Northern Lights: Golden Circle & Reykjanes – 5 Days | 5 | £1,456 pp | Low | Max 12 | No | A short first aurora trip |
| Iceland Winter Adventure: Super Jeeps & Northern Lights – 9 Days | 9 | £2,860 pp | Low | Max 18 | No | Seeing the whole island in winter |
| Luxury Iceland in Winter: Glacier Lagoon & Snaefellsnes – 8 Days | 8 | £2,956 pp | Low | Max 12 | No | Comfort, with Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon |
| Scenic Iceland & the Northern Lights – 7 Days | 7 | £4,005 pp | Low | Not stated | No | Coach touring in comfort |
| Iceland for Solo Travellers: Reykjavík & the Golden Circle – 5 Days | 5 | £2,529 pp | Low | Max 27 | Yes | Solo travellers, flights from London |
| Summer and the midnight sun | ||||||
| Iceland: Land of the Midnight Sun – 9 Days | 9 | £3,525 pp | Low | Max 16 | No | Long light at a gentle pace |
| Iceland Discovery: Ring Road & Snaefellsnes – 8 Days | 8 | £2,995 pp | Medium | Max 12 | No | The full Ring Road in a small group |
| Natural Wonders of Iceland: Ring Road Coach Tour – 9 Days | 9 | £5,216 pp | Low | Not stated | No | The Ring Road by coach |
| Luxury Iceland: Ring Road, Glaciers & Lake Myvatn – 9 Days | 9 | £6,480 pp | Low | Max 12 | No | The Ring Road in comfort |
| Trekking Iceland’s Laugavegur Trail – 7 Days | 7 | £3,875 pp | High | Max 12 | No | Fit, experienced walkers |
| Iceland: Hike, Bike & Kayak – 6 Days | 6 | £2,495 pp | Medium | Max 12 | No | Active types who like variety |
| Iceland Expedition Cruise: Westfjords to Westman Islands – 8 Days | 8 | £7,119 pp | Low | Not stated | No | The coast without driving |
| North Atlantic Cruise: Scotland, Faroes & Iceland – 10 Days | 10 | £4,935 pp | Low | Not stated | No | Seabirds and island-hopping from Scotland |
| Most of the year | ||||||
| Iceland for 18–35s: Golden Circle, South Coast & Glaciers – 6 Days | 6 | £956 pp | Low | Max 16 | No | 18 to 35s on a budget |
| Explore Iceland: Golden Circle & Snaefellsnes – 5 Days | 5 | £1,565 pp | Medium | Max 12 | No | A short, good-value first look |
| Iceland Family Holiday: Snaefellsnes & the South Coast – 6 Days | 6 | £1,986 pp | Low | Max 16 | No | Families with children aged 5+ |
| Greenland and Arctic expeditions via Reykjavík | ||||||
| Complete East Greenland Expedition Cruise – 12 Days | 12 | £7,405 pp | Medium | Max 187 | No | East Greenland’s remote coast |
| Greenland Explorer Expedition Cruise – 12 Days | 12 | £9,940 pp | Medium | Max 180 | No | South Greenland’s fjords and Nuuk |
| Four Arctic Islands: Svalbard, Jan Mayen & Greenland – 13 Days | 13 | £9,559 pp | Medium | Max 187 | No | Svalbard to Iceland |
| Greenland to Newfoundland Expedition: Arctic & Vikings – 14 Days | 14 | £10,020 pp | Medium | Max 138 | No | Norse history to Newfoundland |
| South Greenland Expedition: The Alpine Arctic – 14 Days | 14 | On request | Not stated | Max 199 | No | Fjords, glaciers and heli-hiking |
Prices are per person, twin share, live from our tour pages (updated October 2026). The lowest price can apply to a later departure, so check the dates you want on each tour page.
Ask us which Iceland tour fits →
Winter: the Northern Lights tours (or, standing in a field at midnight)
Every winter tour here builds in nights away from city lights, but none can promise the aurora. What you can choose is how many chances you get, and how comfortable you are while you wait.
The short aurora breaks
Iceland Northern Lights Escape: Vatnajökull & the South Coast – 6 Days
- 6 days
- From £1,373 per person
- Max 12 people
- Starts and ends in Reykjavik, Iceland
- Physical rating: medium
- Flights not included
- Departures in January, February, March, October, November, December
Two small-group trips for a week or less. The Northern Lights Escape heads along the south coast, with a guided glacier hike on Vatnajökull, the icebergs of Jökulsárlón and five nights in guesthouses, farm stays and hotels. Iceland’s Classic Northern Lights is gentler (5 days, physical rating low) and adds the Reykjanes Peninsula to the Golden Circle.
Suits: first-timers who want the lights and the big sights in one go. The honest drawback: only breakfasts are included on the Escape, and both pages say they are not for you if you dislike cold weather. Fair.
The whole island in winter
Iceland Winter Adventure: Super Jeeps & Northern Lights – 9 Days
- 9 days
- From £2,860 per person
- Max 18 people
- Starts and ends in Reykjavík, Iceland
- Physical rating: low
- Flights not included
- Departures in January, February, October, November
This is the big winter loop: nine days right round Iceland with a group of up to 18. You stay two nights in Akureyri with a ferry to the island of Hrísey, ride a super jeep into the snowy mountains, soak in the Mývatn Nature Baths and see Goðafoss and Dettifoss before heading down the east coast to Höfn and Jökulsárlón.
Suits: aurora hunters who want more than the south coast. The honest drawback: winter means long drives and cold days, and only breakfasts and two lunches are included.
Winter in comfort
Luxury Iceland in Winter: Glacier Lagoon & Snaefellsnes – 8 Days
- 8 days
- From £2,956 per person
- Max 12 people
- Starts and ends in Reykjavik, Iceland
- Physical rating: low
- Flights not included
- Departures in January, February, March, October, November, December
Luxury Iceland in Winter keeps the group to 12 and the hotels comfortable, including a feature stay at Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon or similar, with seven breakfasts and four dinners. It adds Diamond Beach and two nights on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. Scenic Iceland & the Northern Lights (7 days) is the coach-touring option, with a tour director, an included Northern Lights excursion and hotels such as the Radisson RED in Reykjavík, or similar.
Suits: anyone who values a good bed after an evening of sky-watching. The honest drawback: neither is a budget trip, and Scenic Iceland is a coach group, not a small group.
For solo travellers
Iceland for Solo Travellers: Reykjavík & the Golden Circle – 5 Days
- 5 days
- From £2,529 per person
- Max 27 people
- Starts and ends in London, United Kingdom
- Physical rating: low
- Flights included
- Departures in March, October, November
A five-day short break designed for people travelling on their own, with return flights from London, a twin or double room of your own and no single supplement. You stay four nights in a 3-star hotel in Reykjavík, with a city tour and a day on the Golden Circle.
Suits: solo travellers who want everything arranged. The honest drawback: it is Reykjavík-based, the group can reach 27, and it has only a handful of departures a year.
Summer: the midnight sun tours (bring an eye mask)
The gentle summer loop
Iceland: Land of the Midnight Sun – 9 Days
- 9 days
- From £3,525 per person
- Max 16 people
- Starts and ends in Reykjavík, Iceland
- Physical rating: low
- Flights not included
- Departures in June, July, August, September
Nine days round Iceland under the long summer light, with a tour leader and up to 16 travellers. Highlights include two nights at Skaftafell, a boat among the icebergs of Jökulsárlón, the Eastern Fjords and two nights in Húsavík, with optional whale watching.
Suits: first-timers who want the light without a hard pace. The honest drawback: the page is blunt that this is not the tour if you want to see the Northern Lights, and lunches and dinners are not included.
Three ways round the Ring Road
Iceland Discovery: Ring Road & Snaefellsnes – 8 Days
- 8 days
- From £2,995 per person
- Max 12 people
- Starts and ends in Reykjavik, Iceland
- Physical rating: medium
- Flights not included
- Departures in April, May, June, July, August, September, October
All three circle the island in eight or nine days. Iceland Discovery is the small-group version, with up to 12 in a private minibus and the Snæfellsnes Peninsula at the end. Natural Wonders of Iceland does the loop by coach with a tour director and five dinners. Luxury Iceland: Ring Road, Glaciers & Lake Myvatn keeps the group to 12 and includes a stay at Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon or similar.
Suits: anyone who wants the whole island in one go. The honest drawback: all three involve a lot of time in the vehicle, and each page says it is not for you if you dislike long drives or long days on the road.
For walkers: the Laugavegur Trail
Trekking Iceland’s Laugavegur Trail – 7 Days
- 7 days
- From £3,875 per person
- Max 12 people
- Starts and ends in Reykjavik, Iceland
- Physical rating: high
- Flights not included
- Departures in July, August, September
This is the serious one. A local leader guides up to 12 walkers through the highlands from Landmannalaugar past the ice fields of Hrafntinnusker and the Emstrur valley to Thórsmörk, with a jeep carrying luggage and food between four nights in mountain huts.
Suits: fit, experienced walkers. The honest drawback: the physical rating is high, with long days on rough ground, and the huts mean shared dormitories. Departures run only in July, August and September.
For active types who like variety
Iceland: Hike, Bike & Kayak – 6 Days
- 6 days
- From £2,495 per person
- Max 12 people
- Starts and ends in Reykjavik, Iceland
- Physical rating: medium
- Flights not included
- Departures in May, June, July, August, September
Six days that mix it up: a ferry to the Westman Islands, a trek on the Sólheimajökull glacier with crampons and an ice axe, then cycling and kayaking around Reykjavík, with up to 12 in the group.
Suits: active travellers who would rather do than look. The honest drawback: not every night has a private bathroom, and only breakfasts are included.
Iceland by sea
Iceland Expedition Cruise: Westfjords to Westman Islands – 8 Days
- 8 days
- From £7,119 per person
- Starts and ends in Reykjavik, Iceland
- Physical rating: low
- Flights not included
- Departures in May, June
The Iceland Expedition Cruise circles the island in seven nights on a polar-class expedition ship, reaching fjords and islands that road trips rarely do, with a guided Arctic Circle walk on Grímsey and all meals on board. North Atlantic Cruise: Scotland, Faroes & Iceland (10 days) sails from Troon in Scotland via the Faroe Islands to Reykjavík.
Suits: nature lovers who want Iceland without driving. The honest drawback: open-sea crossings can be rough, and both have very few departures.
Tours that run most of the year
These three tours depart in most months, so you can pick the season to suit you. Iceland for 18–35s (6 days) is usually the cheapest tour on our Iceland page, with shared rooms in guesthouses, cottages and a hostel and three breakfasts included; it is strictly for travellers aged 18 to 35. Explore Iceland: Golden Circle & Snaefellsnes (5 days) is a short, good-value look at the Golden Circle and the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, with a night on a working farm, though not every night has a private bathroom.
For families
Iceland Family Holiday: Snaefellsnes & the South Coast – 6 Days
- 6 days
- From £1,986 per person
- Max 16 people
- Starts and ends in Reykjavik, Iceland
- Physical rating: low
- Flights not included
- Departures in March, April, June, July, August, September, October, December
Six days built for children aged five and over: a night on a family-run horse farm with a home-cooked dinner, the erupting Strokkur geyser, walking behind the Seljalandsfoss waterfall and the black sands of Reynisfjara. Up to 16 travel together, with family rooms where available.
Suits: families short on time. The honest drawback: it is not for children under five, and the accommodation is guesthouses and cottages rather than luxury hotels.
Going further: Greenland and the Arctic from Reykjavík
The expedition cruises on our Iceland page start or finish in Reykjavík but spend most of their time elsewhere. They are long, expensive and unlike anything else here. Complete East Greenland (12 days) reaches Ittoqqortoormiit and Northeast Greenland National Park. Greenland Explorer (12 days) rounds the southern tip via Prins Christian Sund to Nuuk. Four Arctic Islands (13 days) links Svalbard, Jan Mayen and Greenland. Greenland to Newfoundland (14 days) follows the Vikings across the Davis Strait. South Greenland Expedition adds heli-hiking and a visit to the Greenland Ice Sheet.
All of them warn that the itinerary is not fixed, and that they are not for you if you get seasick easily.
How to choose
By time available. Five or six days: the Northern Lights Escape, Classic Northern Lights, Explore Iceland, Hike, Bike & Kayak, the family holiday or the solo break. Seven to nine days: the Ring Road tours, the winter super-jeep loop, the Laugavegur trek or the expedition cruise. Ten days or more: the North Atlantic cruise and the Greenland voyages.
By budget. Iceland for 18–35s, the two short Northern Lights breaks, Explore Iceland and the family holiday are the cheapest. Most small-group tours, including the winter super-jeep loop, Iceland Discovery and Land of the Midnight Sun, sit in the middle. The two coach tours, Luxury Iceland on the Ring Road, the cruises and Greenland cost the most.
By fitness. Most tours are rated low or medium; the Laugavegur trek is the only one rated high. Hike, Bike & Kayak and the Northern Lights Escape sit in the middle.
By travel style. Small-group minibus tours keep groups to about 12 to 18. Natural Wonders and Scenic Iceland are coach tours with a tour director. The cruises suit people who would rather unpack once. Only the solo tour includes flights; we can arrange them for the others.
When to go
The winter Northern Lights tours run from about October to March. The summer tours run from April or May to September or October, with the Laugavegur trek in July to September and the expedition cruises from late May to September. On our Iceland pages, daylight is described as anything from four hours in winter to more than twenty in summer, and in June and July the sun hardly sets.
Before you travel, check the FCDO travel advice for Iceland.
Frequently asked questions
Which Iceland tour is best for the Northern Lights?
The winter tours with nights in the countryside: the Northern Lights Escape, Classic Northern Lights and the Super Jeeps & Northern Lights loop. No tour can guarantee a sighting, as it depends on clear skies.
Can I see the Northern Lights on a summer tour?
Not on the summer tours here. The Land of the Midnight Sun page says plainly that it is not for you if you want to see the Northern Lights, because the summer nights barely get dark.
What is the cheapest escorted tour of Iceland?
Iceland for 18–35s is usually the cheapest, if you are aged 18 to 35. For other ages, look at the Northern Lights Escape or Classic Northern Lights. Live prices are in the comparison table.
Are flights included on Iceland tours?
Only on Iceland for Solo Travellers, which includes return flights from London. The other tours are land-only, and we can arrange flights for you.
Do I need to be fit for an Iceland tour?
For most, no: they are rated low or medium. The Laugavegur Trail trek is rated high, with long days on rough ground.
Is there an Iceland tour for families?
Yes, the Iceland Family Holiday, for children aged five and over, with a horse-farm stay and the south coast.
Not sure which Iceland tour is right?
Tell us when you can travel and how active you want to be, and a Travelisto specialist will compare the dates and prices with you.
Keep planning
- All escorted tours in Iceland
- Iceland holidays
- Escorted tours in Norway
- Arctic cruises: Svalbard, Greenland and the Northwest Passage
- The best cruise lines for the Norwegian fjords
Prices are live from our tour pages (updated October 2026). Tour details and dates can change; your specialist will confirm everything before you book.
